New Australian Open champion dreams big

He knows he's no Jordan Spieth, but newly-crowned Australian Open champion Cameron Davis plans on doing his best impersonation on his major debut in 2018.

Apart from the life-changing $225,000 cheque he pocketed, a start at next year's British Open is one of the perks for winning the Stonehaven Cup after a thrilling final round at The Australian on Sunday.

Davis, without a previous top-10 result since turning professional last year and who missed the cut at last week's NSW Open, is the most unlikeliest champion since Aaron Baddeley beat Greg Norman down the stretch as a teenager amateur in 1999.

The 22-year-old is also the youngest Open champion since Baddeley went back-to-back at 19 in 2000.

"I'm a little bit numb at the moment. I just didn't expect to be in this situation," Davis said after closing with a sublime 64 to finish at 11-under-par 273, one ahead of 2015 champion Matt Jones and Swede Jonas Blixt.

But, as the national amateur champion on the same course two years ago and the individual winner while leading Australia to world amateur team glory last year, the Sydneysider has pedigree.

Like most of Australia's exciting crop of next-generation golfers, Davis also has unshakeable belief.

That's why, when reminded that Spieth sipped from the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale this year after winning the Australian Open in 2016 for the second time, he laid out his own lofty plans.

"It's my first major so I've got no idea what to expect. I know it's going to be huge," Davis said.

"If I can follow in Spieth's footsteps, I'd be pretty happy. That's going to be pretty tough to do, but I'm going to give it my best shot now that I've actually got the opportunity to go and play in it.

"I'm not going to go out there and just be happy I'm there. I'm going to give it my best and try and play my best golf and see where it puts me against the best players in the world."

Jones' consolation for shaving the cup with his eagle-putt attempt on the 72nd hole and missing a playoff and, with it, the chance to win the Stonehaven Cup for the second time in three years is an Open start as well in 2018.

But the 37-year-old is unsure if, like Davis, he can take up the opportunity to test himself against the world's best at a major.

Jones and his wife Melissa, a former Miss USA contestant, are expecting their third child that week.